Our Premiership Winning Dream

[Dragon David]

We all wish for winning a premiership which is a given and is the reason why we have competition to see who gets to hold the shield aloft. There is also the benefits of the players getting paid good money with some players getting much more than others. TV and Media coverage of games allows a heap of money to be paid to the NRL to give to clubs to pay the players, and so on.

We the followers can enjoy each game being played by going out to the grounds to watch or watching on whatever medium is available and also listening to games via radio if a TV or lap top or whatever is not available. This activity has been going on for decades and every year, all of the supporters will be out in their droves barracking and wanting their team to win at the grounds or yelling at the TV etc.

Are we masochists or are we dreamers hoping that all our suffering will end up with the club winning the premiership or dreading winning the wooden spoon?

In this modern day of league, we see the better managed clubs and better coached clubs get the better players who become even better and therefore have a much better chance of winning the competition and it is these clubs that flourish year in and out chopping and changing where they sit in the top 8 at the end of the year. It is the top 4 that they all aspire to but happy to make the top 8.

Where do we stand as Dragons supporters in all of this? How can we compete confidently against the top 4 teams so that we feel happy to be following the club, many of us having followed the game and Dragons for years?

Is our Joint Venture working well enough to get us to reach our goal of winning a premiership? Will we be a club able to attract the better coach which in turn can attract the better players? What planning steps do you think our BODs have made or will make to achieve this? Do we just keep going for years and years without any real purpose other than to hope that we have a good year by say reaching the top 8 or better like we have been hoping for for the past decade or more?

Will our Premiership winning dream become a reality?

Time is ticking and the years slide into the next. Will there be the same outcomes or will they be better in the future?

I thought that this would be a good topic for us to debate.

 

[marshall stalin]

You can dream of winning one but in reality no hope- A Merge with the Sharks is more likely to happen

 

[Lawman]

According to the Putin Lover.

 

[Number of the Beath]

I'll dream of a premiership when it's a realistic proposition - and that's not this year, or next. Our recruitment for this season was the best in some time, but the positive effect of this influx is negligible. Our game management is poor and all of our "exciting young prospects" are pretty much all dying in the arse. Match plan-wise, Hook makes Mary look like a tactical genius, and like Mary, keeps picking his favourite plodders week in, week out - ie McCullough is the new Norman is the new McCrone...
Add to that the failure to retain players like Robson, Leilua, Host, Garrick & Wishart - who have all kicked on at their new clubs.
There's a startling lack of ambition in the administrative levels at the Dragons - and that filters downwards. We're confirmed also-rans until there are profound cultural changes at that level.

 

[True_Believer]

Add to that the failure to retain players like Robson, Leilua, Host, Garrick & Wishart - who have all kicked on at their new clubs.

This is what gets me in here. Do you expect us to retain everyone and even if we did, do you expect them to perform the same way with us? Robson was behind McInness when he left. You can't blame the kid. Leilua wanted to go and play with his brother. Host I was happy to let go. Garrick took another 2 years at another club to become a genuine first grader and Wishart is in the Melbourne system.

These players have moved on. Let it go.

 

[justadragon]

Good post Dave, but i think all the questions you have asked should be the primary questions directed at the heads of the club, what their vision is and what they are prepared to do about our current state, be it they make think everything is just fine and dandy. Until the top level is sorted and on the same page to get this club being successful again, then the fish will continue to rot from the head down.

 

[denis preston]

I'd just like to know what is the vision and how are we going about to achieve it ? It's bad enough to watch us every week playing like a lower tier side but if there is a constructive plan to be a top 2 or 4 side I could cope and be patient , but I just don't see it.
About time Webby gave the fans some hope.

 

[Dragon David]

Good post Dave, but i think all the questions you have asked should be the primary questions directed at the heads of the club, what their vision is and what they are prepared to do about our current state, be it they make think everything is just fine and dandy. Until the top level is sorted and on the same page to get this club being successful again, then the fish will continue to rot from the head down.

Thanks justa. You are right about putting all this to the heads of the club, but this action was brought up several times before and unless the members etc can actually vote as to who can be on the board etc., and have their say in all matters football, we remain behind the 8 ball.

There have been suggestions on what should be done to get their attention, but again, we always seem to come to a fullstop.

Even our CEO seems like he has fallen by the wayside and the clubs media people have not brought us news on a regular basis via the clubs website. If they cannot communicate to us, then their communication generally is poor with the management of their staff which means nobody knows nuffing.

 

[Dragon David]

I'd just like to know what is the vision and how are we going about to achieve it ? It's bad enough to watch us every week playing like a lower tier side but if there is a constructive plan to be a top 2 or 4 side I could cope and be patient , but I just don't see it.
About time Webby gave the fans some hope.

Agree with you Denis, thanks. Communication is lacking when it should be in bold. The shutters are closed and planning for the future insofar as the coach is concerned has been set in concrete for next year at least so they possibly feel that there is no need to say too much now. Player(s) movement both out and in will be interesting as I see that there should be a lot of changes coming but wonder if they will be for the better. Just have to wait and see.

 

[justadragon]

Thanks justa. You are right about putting all this to the heads of the club, but this action was brought up several times before and unless the members etc can actually vote as to who can be on the board etc., and have their say in all matters football, we remain behind the 8 ball.

There have been suggestions on what should be done to get their attention, but again, we always seem to come to a fullstop.

Even our CEO seems like he has fallen by the wayside and the clubs media people have not brought us news on a regular basis via the clubs website. If they cannot communicate to us, then their communication generally is poor with the management of their staff which means nobody knows nuffing.

You know the old story Dave, if we shut up shop and sweep everything under the carpet (or get the next win) then the problem will go away.

 

[denis preston]

The next 4 games will write the story for this season. Win most of those then perhaps on track for the 8 but lose most of them then surely changes will have to be made. I just dont see where the coaches have made a difference. Does the board see that they will be opening the purse strings and more good signings will help our performances ? Where is the plan ???

 

[Dragon David]

The next 4 games will write the story for this season. Win most of those then perhaps on track for the 8 but lose most of them then surely changes will have to be made. I just dont see where the coaches have made a difference. Does the board see that they will be opening the purse strings and more good signings will help our performances ? Where is the plan ???

What I am hoping for is that a number of players will be let go for 2023, those that have not been able to produce the goods and wasting their time at the club. Daniel Alvaro has gone and so too will several others which would give us a bit of money to go after other players which I'm sure somebody in the Recruitment and Retention Department of the Club is doing already.

The recent signings have generally been good except for a few so if we can get top hooker and a couple of big and mobile forwards (I prefer the Pacific Islander guys), that will help us. Our backs, if the young ones are given more game time, will be much better if the forwards are stronger and can offload as a second nature thing. The more damage the forwards can inflict on the opposition the better. I think Sloan, Ramsey, Rava, Max and Matt Fegaii, Lomax, Suli,Hunt, Sullivan, Amone and Mbye can really excel once the hooker and forwards are sorted.

 

[Gareth67]

You can dream of winning one but in reality no hope- A Merge with the Sharks is more likely to happen

Damn shame our mob couldn’t merge with the NRL like you chooks .

 

[Angry_eel]

Will our Premiership winning dream become a reality?

Time is ticking and the years slide into the next. Will there be the same outcomes or will they be better in the future?

I thought that this would be a good topic for us to debate.

Don't lose hope. Not that we might win but Eels saw some terrible years in the last decade.

 

[Dragon David]

Don't lose hope. Not that we might win but Eels saw some terrible years in the last decade.

Yes you did have some miserable times over the past decade Angry_eel. Hopefully for you, the Eels will be better placed and make the grand final in 2022 - your club certainly has a good chance. You have beaten the Storm and Panthers this year so that is good going - not so good being flogged by the Cowboys but they were just spot on with nearly everything they did that night and your team had an off night.

We live in hope for good things for the Dragons of course but will still take time like your club.

 

[Kolum Kid]

Someone recently wrote that "we are losing off the field" . I can't find the post but I think it describes us perfectly. The top notch teams are being run like corporations while we are like old boys social club. We are at the bottom of the "arm's length" nudge nudge,wink wink TPA's list. The Storm reportedly have TPA's approaching $800000 a season. How can we compete with that? On top of this we recruit on the cheap. This isn't going to get us anywhere a premiership anytime soon.

 

[Illusion]

So what happens next ? Do we think we can win a Premiership under Hook ? Or was Hook just a stop gap coach , because there was no one else ? So will Hook stay on past his contract same as the board did with Mary ( If so they must think he can take us to a Premiership ) If he was to stay on and fail again then its been another wasted 5 years or so ...... Or is Hook here just to fill in the time then the board will appoint Dean Young as coach ? ( I can see this coming IMO ) I don't see the light at the end of the tunnel ...... It will take years to happen if it happens , to be a force again ...... Lot of unanswered questions , Not much from the CEO , Board , soon as a couple of wins happen we all seem to be ok again , Ill be happy when we can beat top 4 teams on a regular basis , and that's a Looooong way off ........ IMO that's a sad reality ......

 

[Dragon David]

Someone recently wrote that "we are losing off the field" . I can't find the post but I think it describes us perfectly. The top notch teams are being run like corporations while we are like old boys social club. We are at the bottom of the "arm's length" nudge nudge,wink wink TPA's list. The Storm reportedly have TPA's approaching $800000 a season. How can we compete with that? On top of this we recruit on the cheap. This isn't going to get us anywhere a premiership anytime soon.

I agree Kolum. Hook decided to get several players on the cheap when he came to us and the club was called the "Moneyball Dragons" (https://www.foxsports.com.au/nrl/nr...n/news-story/862d9bd3822dd1bfb6ccfcb715e80f22).

Looking back, it seemed like a "good" idea but down the track we find that in August 2021 we had the BBQ fiasco which derailed us no end when I think we could have just got into the 8. In August last year we signed up Mbye with the Tigers throwing in money and later we, went for Burgess and Su'a, Molo, Suli, Gosiewski and Woods mostly on the cheap.

It could still be ok for us to be near the top 8 this year with just a bit more tweaking that Hook is trying to do, but definitely not winning a premiership and overall when you look at who we have including the young ones without knowing who will leave and who will be signed for 2023, the squad is/will not be top notch I should imagine for the future years. We sure need some higher valued players and get the TPA's to fund them. Our club continues to be in the doldrums for so many years it is not funny. We seem to be going backwards.

 

[Unsainty79]

We can talk about TPA's, but ultimately, even if we offered Brandon Smith, Munster, Tedesco, Haas $500k more than they're on now, they wouldn't come to us. We're cellar dwellers and have been for a long time. Success breads success. It is going to be a slow burn to get back around the top.

I agree we signed some plodders this year, but lack-of depth killed us last year and we have an even younger squad this year. Our salary cap was a mess and this was a stop gap in my opinion. Perhaps even Griffin is a stop gap? It really is hard to tell.

Su'a has been great and Molo has improved a lot over the last month. Neither of these players were world beaters, but they have improved our forward pack a lot. So there are some promising signs with our recruitment.

De Belin not kicking on since his return has hurt us on the field. He has been OK, but nothing like the link player and defensive beast he was in 2022; this also has a flow on effect to our salary cap.

There is a lot of talent in our younger players. Sullivan, Amone, Sloan, Feagi x 2, Coric, Ramsey and Lomax + Suli are also in their infancy. If we can retain and continue to develop them, then we have a good opportunity to jump up the ladder over the next few years.

 

[Dragon David]

We can talk about TPA's, but ultimately, even if we offered Brandon Smith, Munster, Tedesco, Haas $500k more than they're on now, they wouldn't come to us. We're cellar dwellers and have been for a long time. Success breads success. It is going to be a slow burn to get back around the top.

I agree we signed some plodders this year, but lack-of depth killed us last year and we have an even younger squad this year. Our salary cap was a mess and this was a stop gap in my opinion. Perhaps even Griffin is a stop gap? It really is hard to tell.

Su'a has been great and Molo has improved a lot over the last month. Neither of these players were world beaters, but they have improved our forward pack a lot. So there are some promising signs with our recruitment.

De Belin not kicking on since his return has hurt us on the field. He has been OK, but nothing like the link player and defensive beast he was in 2022; this also has a flow on effect to our salary cap.

There is a lot of talent in our younger players. Sullivan, Amone, Sloan, Feagi x 2, Coric, Ramsey and Lomax + Suli are also in their infancy. If we can retain and continue to develop them, then we have a good opportunity to jump up the ladder over the next few years.

I agree that success breeds success Unsainty and it is hard to see us being as successful as the Storm, Panthers and Roosters and a couple of other clubs for a significant period. So in that period we will need to exercise better judgement and any expertise the club has to gradually build up and come out of the cellar dweller syndrome and be like the top clubs. I would like to see it for sure and I hope that the club wants to see it.